I've frequently heard that "the book is always better than the movie". For a long time I thought this was true, until I went back and read some books that had been much more popular as a movie, thinking that the book would be awesome. While I wasn't disappointed with the books, they weren't as good as the movie. And this doesn't just hold true for movies I watched before reading the books.
It's easy to understand why the argument of Book trumps Movie, is always easy to defend; No matter how great special effects are, your imagination can come up with something better, that appeals specifically to you. But in truth some movies just do a better job of portraying what the author is trying to say than the written word can. This is usually true for pieces written with the intent of being acted out, even if written in novel form. Such as Star Wars IV-VI, and the plays of Shakespeare.
In addition once a book is written the author has a chance to think about what they would change if they could do it over again. Frequently when the author is asked to turn the book into a movie they make the decisions to make the major changes to the plot. Such as The Bourne series, and Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. Many people were upset by the major plot changes in these stories, until they found out that the authors were the ones to suggest, or even insist upon the changes. Bottom line the movie always has the advantage of being able to take a plot and improve upon it because it's been around long enough to have more than a half dozen people give there feedback on it. But movies rarely use this adequately to there advantage. It's hard to please everyone, especially the ones who liked the book, hence why movies like Godfather always make this list. Very few people really liked the book, so the directly had a lot of room to improve upon it.
Here is my top ten list in no particular order:
Lord of the Rings:
I read these novels in middle school and loved them. When the movies came out I instantly fell in love with them. They seem to follow the plot closely and are well directed. The special effects, set, and wardrobe are all fantastic. But I very recently went back and read the Lord of the Rings trilogy and was sadly disappointed. I was over a third of the way through the first book and they hadn't done anything but sing songs and get lost in the woods.
The Godfather:
I have not personally read the book, but I have yet to read a review that doesn't say the movie is better than the book.
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Stars IV-VI:
As most obsessed young nerds I
have both read the books and watched the movies. Like several other books (Including Avatar) they were written with the sole intent of being made into movies, but published to gain support for the movies, and for those enthusiasts who prefer black and white to the silver screen. This is definitely one example where the movie outdid my imagination.
George lucas, Star wars
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psycho:
It may be easier to concede that a movie that comes out in this decade is better, or at least comparable to, the book. Because of special effects, and all of the amazing manipulation that can be done with what is real, to create the surreal. But it is amazing to think that with an amazing director such as Alfred Hitcock you can make a horror so comparably frightening that it outdoes your imagination. It may also have made the list because of minor plot changes that Hitcock made that improve upon the story line.
The Shawshank Redemption:
A lot of Stephen King's books have been made into movies, And it is frequently discussed that the movies are better than his books. Unlike a lot of other movies previously listed I don't think that this movie is better than the book because the plot was improved, or the cinematography was fantastic, although it was good. I personally think this one makes the list because of how amazing the acting is. They brought the characters to life in a way that my imagination couldn't dream of. If you doubt my opinion, that's fine. But I challenge you to watch this movie again.
Stand by Me:
Another Stephen king novel that made the list. I don't know if this is saying something about Stephen Kings writing ability, or his plots. But I have never personally been a big fan of Stephen King. I do however love both Stand By Me, and Shawshank redemption the movie. It is important to note if you go looking for the book to compare to. Stand by me is based on the novel "The Body".
Ben-Hur:
Another Great movie to which I haven't read the book. This movie was one of the greatest of it's time, and is makes almost every list I've seen discussing movies that are better than the books. But It makes me wonder if it's held as better because it is, or if it is because so many more people have seen the movie than read the book. If the movie has such a wide reach among critiques and the common man, then does it become 'better' by having a wider reach?
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The Princes Bride:
I love both the book and the movie. But in research I found the Princess Bride on a lot of lists. I don't know if this is in reference to the book W. Goldman who wrote both the book and the screen play. Or if it's with reference to the alleged book written by S. Morgenstern. But if you have read the book you know that it claims to be an abridgment of another book. I hate to burst your bubble, but it's not.
See Wikipedia for full details. Either way I like the movie better than the book.
The Wizard of Oz:
The wizard of Oz has gone through
several adaptations from the novel written in 1900, to the film in 1932. Including several renditions as a play. I believe the main reason the movie is frequently thought of as better than the book, is simply because it evolved in the 30 years between the book being published and when the film was released.
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Prince Caspian:
I loved both this book and the movie. After reading this entire series as a boy with a fantastic imagination, I still think that the movie did an outstanding job of improving upon the story line, and the fantasy of all of it. I'm really excited to see the Voyage of the Dawn Treader.
Chronicles of Narnia
The Lion the witch and the wardrobe
Books rock
Also earning an honorable mention are:
- Stardust
- Fight Club
- Hunt for Red October
- Last of the Mohicans
- Ella Enchanted
- Logan's Run
- The Count of Monte Cristo
- In the Name of the Rose
Agree or disagree with the list, that's the point.
